Thermal Solar Collectors

Thermal Solar Collectors

The presence of solar thermal installations in homes is elements that are becoming increasingly popular. These facilities make use of solar thermal energy, produced thanks to solar collectors or collectors.

It is necessary to point out that panels and solar collectors are used as synonyms, however there are differences in how they exploit the use of solar energy : while the panels use the photovoltaic effect to generate electricity, the collectors work with the accumulation of heat inside .

What do you need to know about solar thermal collectors?

Solar thermal energy consists in harnessing the sun’s radiation to produce heat, which can be used to cook food, generate hot water and heat, but according to your needs it is necessary to know the type of solar thermal plates that is most convenient.

Mainly there are three types of solar thermal collectors, which operate under the same principle of solar thermal energy, but which serve more efficiently in different scenarios: flat, vacuum and concentration.

Flat solar collectors: these are currently the most commercial because they are practical because of their cost-production relationship. Flat solar collectors work by taking advantage of the greenhouse effect: they are constituted by a dark plate that transmits heat to copper tubes, which retransmits it to a liquid that carries the heat inside. This type of collectors are those used in homes because they serve to prepare hot water and cook. They are usually mounted on the roof of the houses.

Vacuum solar collectors : These work in a similar way to flat solar collectors, but with an innovation: they use vacuum tubes that manage to eliminate energy losses by internal convection from the insulation. They are efficient to provide heating and air conditioning. The main characteristic is the cylindrical shape in its collector tubes that allow to be in the direction of the sole at all times.

Solar collectors of concentration: They work like a magnifying glass to produce heat, concentrating the solar energy in a determined point by means of a system of parabolic mirrors This model reaches temperatures of up to 4,000 degrees Celsius.